Fire-escape.



No. 816,495. PATENTED MAR. 2'7, 1906. S. Z. MOORE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

5'1 u van foe,

PATBNTBD MAR. 27, 1906.

s. z. MOORE, FIRE ESGAP APPLICATION FILED AP 2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

Witness Warren srarns PATENT OFFICE.

SARGANT Z. MOORE, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ATSON WV.HAYES, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed April 24,1905. Serial No. 257,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, sAR-GANT Z. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire -Escapes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes, and moreparticularly to that class in which an endless cable is mounted inproximity to the rows of windows, so that a number of the imprisonedoccupants of the building may simultaneously escape from the differentstories thereof.

The principal object of the invention, however, is to provide means forbraking the cable as each person alights on the ground, so as to permitthem to detach themselves or to have attendants detach them from thecable before the complete descent of the next person above.

To more fully understand the invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of the same, and inwhich like numerals designate the same parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the apparatus applied to the outsideof a building. Fig. 2 is a section through the building, showing theapparatus in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectionthrough the pivoted platform-support immediately forward of the brakingmeans, and Fig. 4 is a detail and perspective of the pivoted platform.

1 designates the building, apertured at 1 to receive a journal or sleeve2, carried by the plate 2, bolted or otherwise secured to the wall ofthe building. At the lower end of the plate 2 is an outwardly-extendingrod 3, supported at its outer end by a hanger 4, carried by a shaft 5,extending through the sleeve 1 and provided with a gear at its inner endcooperating with any suitable means, such as the governor 5, forpartially controlling its speed. The outer end of the shaft is providedwith a pair of grooved wheels 6 6 and on the outer end of the rod 3beneath said grooved wheels is mounted an idlerspool 7.

At the base of the building, preferably located on the ground, is asupport for the pivoted platform hereinafter referred to, comprising thespaced beams 8, and mounted at opposite ends of the support are thepulleys 9 9 suitably journaled and disposed above the space between saidbeams. Substantially centrally of said support is atransversely-extending plate 10, cut away, as at 10 and provided withwebs or flanges 10 adapted to be suitably secured to the beams 8, sothat the cut-away portion 1O will be positioned above the space formedbetween said beams. 11 designates a platform having a tongue 12,extending between said beams and pivotally supported therebetween on theaxis 12 The rear of the tongue 12 is provided with the bearing-plates13, in which is pivotally supported the braking member 14, having aforked or pronged end adapted to slidingly engage against the face ofthe plate 10 and forming, with the recess 10 thereof, a bounded spaceadapted to receive the operating-cable 15, which may be provided alongits length with suitable eyelets 16, adapted to receive a hook 17 on thebelt secured to the person descending.

The operation of the device is apparent, but may be briefly referred to.It will be seen that the operating endless cable 16 passes first aroundthe wheels 6 to the idlerspool 7, thence to the wheel 6 thencedownwardly to the pulley 9", thence along the space between the beams 8,through the opening formed between the forked end of the braking member14 and the cut-away portion of the plate 10, thence reeving under thepulley 9 and upwardly. The idler-pulley 7 will add some friction tocounterbalance the descending weights, and the governor 5 will alsoserve to this end when employed. When the person descending strikes theplatform 11, the same will be depressed at its outer end, and its innerend, carrying the braking member 14, will be forced upwardly, securelygripping the cable and bringing the same to a standstill until thatperson has been detached from the cable, when the operation will becontinued and the descent of the next person accomplished.

Itis obvious that modifications might be made Without departing from thespirit of the invention, and the same is not limited to the exactdetails as shown and described.

What I claim is 1. In a fire-escape, the combination with an endlesscable operatively mounted alongside of a building, of means for brakingsaid cable, comprising a movable platform, located at the base of saidcable, and a braking member mounted on said platform adapted to bebrought into engagement with the operating-cable upon the descent andalighting upon the platform of each person carried by the cable.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination with an endless oable'operativelymounted alongside of a building, of a support adjacent the lower end ofsaid operating-cable and pro- Vided with a transverse plate having acutaway portion, and a ivoted platform provided With a braking memberhaving a prongshaped upper portion adapted to cooperate With thecut-away portion of said transverse plate and to receive the operatingcable therebetWeen.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SARGANT Z. MOORE.

Witnesses:

W. B. JANsEN, C. T. PLANT.

